1. Field of the Invention
The teachings provided herein relate to methods of treating gastrointestinal spasms.
2. Description of Related Art
Antispasmodics can be used to prevent spasms of the stomach, intestine, uterus, or urinary bladder. Gastrointestinal spasms, for example, can be very painful. Abdominal pain and discomfort from cramping, bloating, forceful vomiting, and forceful defecation are often the result of spasmodic intestinal contractions. The problem is that there is no satisfactory treatment to relieve the pain and suffering that currently exists due to this problem. Spasms can also be treated using “anticholinergics” that counteract the effects of the neurohormone acetylcholine. The anticholingergics decrease both the movements of the stomach and intestine, and also the secretions of stomach acid and digestive enzymes. Problems with these drugs include dry mouth and dry eyes because of reduced salivation and tearing.
An example of an anticholinergic that is used to treat cramping is loperamide, an opioid-receptor agonist that slows peristalsis. As such, it is not directed to relieve cramping from spasms, per se. Moreover, loperamide crosses the blood-brain barrier and, although quickly removed from the CNS by P-glycoprotein, it can be addictive if taken with a drug that inhibits P-glycoprotein. Moreover, loperamide has several contraindications, such that it's not recommended for use with several conditions that can include gastrointestinal spasms. For example, it is not recommended for treatment with conditions containing organisms that cross the intestinal walls, such as such as E. coli O157:H7 or salmonella. And, ironically, although it is often administered to alleviate abdominal pain and cramping, its adverse effects can actually include abdominal pain and bloating, nausea, vomiting and constipation. In fact, loperamide has been labeled as (i) contraindicated in patients with abdominal pain in the absence of diarrhea; (ii) not recommended in children below 24 months of age; and (iii) not recommended as the primary therapy in patients with (a) acute dysentery, which is characterized by blood in stools and high fever; (b) acute ulcerative colitis; (c) bacterial enterocolitis caused by invasive organisms including Salmonella, Shigella, and Campylobacter; or, (d) pseudomembranous colitis associated with the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics. See, for example, http://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/archives/fdaDrugInfo.cfm?archiveid=41053, Lake Erie Medical DBA Quality Care Products LLC.
A condition of particular interest in the treatment of gastrointestinal spasms is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a condition afflicting an estimated 30 million people in the US and up to 700 million people worldwide. IBS is diagnosed from clinical symptoms that include abdmoninal pain, bloating, constipation, and diarrhea. Treatment options are based upon the predominant symptom, with diarrhea-predominant IBS receiving antidiarrheal agents, such as loperamide (IMMODIUM) and pain-predominant IBS patients receiving antispasmodic agents, such as dicyclomine HCL (BENTRYL) and hyoscyamine sulfate (LEVSIN). The condition is generally thought to be the result of spasmodic contractions of the intestines that interfere with normal peristalsis causing blockages that lead to bloating and constipation, cause hyperperistaltic activity leading to frequent need for defecation, or a combination. Problems with loperamide are discussed above. Dicyclomine has the problem of some people sweat less, allowing the body to overheat which can cause heat prostration (fever and heat stroke). As such, anyone taking this drug should try to avoid extreme heat. Moreover, dicyclomine can also cause drowsiness and blurred or double vision, such that people who take this drug should not drive, use machines, or do anything else that might be dangerous. Hyoscyamine can also be used but, unfortunately, both dicyclomine and hyoscyamine have general side effects and, for example, can worsen gastroesophageal reflux disease. Anticholinergics, generally speaking, are also known to cause difficulty in passing urine, and children and the elderly are at a higher risk of developing such side effects.
One of skill would appreciate having a method of treating spasms, particularly gastrointestinal spasms, without having to use systemic drugs that have shown to (i) provide slow relief, (ii) cause adverse side effects, (iii) limit activities, (iv) worsen existing gastrointestinal conditions, (v) be unrecommended in several gastrointestinal conditions that include gastrointestinal spasms, and (vi) be unrecommended in the absence of diarrhea.